Client/server behavioral modeling and testcase development using VHDL for improved logic verification

Abstract

A system, method and computer program features of the present invention, relate to verification or simulation of a design using a behavioral model structure for use in a Client/Server configuration. A physical part presents the external interface, and a functional procedural part which is comprised of at least one VHDL process. A testcase is a set of procedure calls written in VHDL. The present invention describes the architecture and implementation of a client/server behavioral model and procedural approach for testcase development which results in significant gain in productivity, quality of logic verification, and portability.

We claim:  
     
       1. A computer base system for client/server behavioral modeling and testcase development, employing VHDL language for improved logic verification, comprising; 
       means for separation of external interfaces, in a Client/Server environment having a physical part and a server part or logical part, including the procedural part in VHDL;  
       means for applying the architecture and implementation of a client/server behavioral model wherein said model supports multiple concurrent access in a many-to-one access mode, employing published procedures, which use built in arbitration mechanism on said model's global arbitration control signal; and  
       also supports one-to-one and one-to many modes of communication via a set of global signals and the procedural approach for testcase development, thereby resulting in increased productivity, quality and logic verification.  
     
     
       2. A computer base system for client/server behavioral modeling and testcase development, employing VHDL language for improved logic verification, comprising; 
       means for separation of external interfaces, in a Client/Server environment, including the procedural part in VHDL;  
       means for applying the architecture and implementation of a client server behavioral model and the procedural approach for testcase development, wherein a testcase is simply a series of procedure calls which are easy to develop and debug and can request operations that said model capable of performing, thereby resulting in increased productivity, quality and logic verification.  
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 2 , wherein the architecture, including a physical part and a logical part, is scaleable in that said models can extend their repertoire of services incrementally on a as-needed basis, and 
       said testcases are written in said VHDL language exclusively,making them portable across simulator and said workstation platforms.  
     
     
       4. A computer base method for client/server behavioral modeling and testcase development, employing VHDL language for improved logic verification, comprising the steps of; 
       separating of the external part, in a Client/Server environment having a physical part and server part or logical part, including the procedural part in VHDL;  
       applying the architecture and implementation of a client/server behavioral model wherein said model supports concurrent access in a many-to-one access mode, employing published procedures, which use built in arbitration mechanism on said model's global arbitration control signal;  
       also supports one-to-one and one-to-many modes of communication via a set of global signals and variables and the procedural approach for testcase development resulting in increased productivity, quality and logic verification.  
     
     
       5. A computer base system for client/server behavioral modeling and testcase development, employing VHDL language for improved logic verification, comprising: 
       means for separation of external interfaces, in a Client/Server environment, including the procedural part in VHDL;  
       means for applying the architecture and implementation of a client/server behavioral model and the procedural approach for testcase, a simple series of procedure calls which are easy to develop and debug and requests operations that said model capable of performing thereby resulting in increased productivity, quality and logic verification.  
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the architecture, including a physical part and a logical part, is scaleable in that said models can extend their repertoire of services incrementally on a as-needed basis, and 
       said testcases are written In said VHDL language exclusively, it makes them portable across simulator and said workstation platforms.  
     
     
       7. A computer readable program having data structures included on a computer readable medium which causes the display on a data processor controlled display of a computer base system for client/server behavioral modeling and testcase development, employing VHDL language for improved logic verification, comprising; 
       means for separation of external interfaces, in a Client/Server environment having a physical part and a server part or logical part, including the procedural part in VHDL;  
       means for applying the architecture and implementation of a client/server behavioral model supporting multiple concurrent access in a many-to-one access mode, employing published procedures, which use built in arbitration mechanism on said model's global arbitration control signal; and  
       also supports one-to-one and one-to many modes of communication via a set of global signals and variables and the procedural approach for testcase development, and  
       results in increased productivity, quality and logic verification.  
     
     
       8. The program of  claim 7 , wherein a testcase can request operations that said model capable of performing, by invoking the methods associated with said model and 
       a testcase is simply a series of procedure calls which are easy to develop and debug.  
     
     
       9. The program of  claim 8 , wherein the architecture, including a physical part and a logical part, is scaleable in that said models can extend their repertoire of services incrementally on a as-needed basis, and 
       said testcases are written in said VHDL language exclusively, it makes them portable across simulator and said workstation platforms.  
     
     
       10. A method for verifying an electronic design comprising the acts of: 
       providing a physical part that provides ports to connect to external interfaces, timing mechanism that conforms to timing requirements of the external interfaces and logic to present information according to rules of said external interfaces;  
       providing a logical part to connect to the physical part, said logical part including data structures such as records and link-list queues at least one VHDL process and at least one set of procedural methods for accessing and manipulating the data structures;  
       providing a test case generator with routines to issue calls requesting operations which the logical part can provide; and  
       electing a routine that causes a desired operation to be exercised on an external interface.  
     
     
       11. A system for testing devices including: 
       a physical part that provides ports to connect to external interfaces, timing mechanism that conforms to timing requirements of the external interfaces and logic to present information according to rules of said external interfaces;  
       a logical part to connect to the physical part, said logical part including data structures such as records and link-list queues at least one VHDL process and at least one set of procedural methods for accessing and manipulating the internal data structures; and  
       a test case generator with routines to issue calls requesting operations which the logical part can provide.